The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-01-06
srAUNToN. VIRGINIA. JANUARY s, 1887.
A Voice from the South.

of the occasion wac ..rllvered by Mr.. Fl
w. Grady. edifc of the Atlanta Consti
tuition. Ex-Jadge Russell, president o
the Society, introduced Mr.. Grady as ;
representative of the NewsSonth and said
"Let us let him feelhow welcome he j,
among u.s. He presented Ell. W. Grad,
to respond to the toast, the New South.
Three ringing cheers were given for. Mr.
Grady and the South, and Mr.. Grady said
There was a South of secession an(
slavery-that South is dead. There is {
South of union and freedom-that Soutf
is Lying, breathing. growing every hour.
These words, delivered from the lips Of
Benjamin II. Hill, in Tammany Hall. il
I 1866. make my text for tonight.
Mr.. President and Gentlemen Let mt
express to you my appreciation of the kind
ness by which am permitted to address
you. make this acknowledgment advised
", for felt that If. when l raised my pro-
vincial voice in this ancient and august
presence, could find courage for no more
than the opening sentence, il would be
rough serse my obligation as a guest and
persisted, SO to speak, with courtesy on my
lips and grace in my heart. Permitted
through yonr kind. ess to catch my second
wind. let me say that appreciate the sig
lniiicance of being the first Southerner TO
speak at this board, which bears the sub
stance, if it surpasses the semblance, of
original New England hospitality
honors a sentiment that in turn honors
you, but in which my personally is lost,
and the compliment to my people made
plain.
bespeak the utmost stretch of your
courtesy tonight. am somewhat indif-
ferent to those from whom come. You
remember the man whose wife sent him
to neighbor with pitcher of milk and
who on tripping on the top step fell, with
such casual interruption as the landings
afforded, into the basement, and while
picking himself up had the pleasure of
hearing his wife call out John, did you
break the pitcher p
mo, didn't said John, s'but be
dinged if DON'T"
So while those who call to me from be-
hind may inspire me with energy if not
with courage, ask an indulgent hearing
from you beg that you will bring your
full faith in American fairness and frank
ness to Judgment upon whatsI shall say
There was an old preacher once who told
some boys of the Bible lesson he was to
read in the morning. The boys finding the
place glued together the connecting pages.
The next morning he read on the bottom
of one page when Noah was one hun
dred and twenty years old he took unto
himself wife, who was''-then turning
the page-s140 cubits wide, built of GO
pher wood, and covered with pitch inside
and OUT" He was naturally puzzled at
this. He read it again. verified it, and
then said: "My friends. this is the first
time l ever met this In the Bible, but
accept it as evidence of the assertion that
we are fearfully and wonderfully made"
If could get you to hold such faith to-
night could proceed cheerfully to the
task l otherwise approach with a sense of
conservation.
PURITAN AND CAVALIER HERE TOGETHER
Pardon me one word, Mr., President,
spoken for the purpose of getting into the
volumes that 60 out annually freighted
with the rich eloquence of your speakers
the fact that the Cavalier as well as the
Puritan was on this continent in it's
early days, and that he was 'sup and
able to be about.n / have read your books
carefully and I find no mention of the fact
which seems to me to be important for
preserving sort of historical equilib-
rum.
With the Cavalier once established as a
fact in your valuable little books, shall
let him work out his own salvation, as he
has always done with engaging gallantry,
and we will hold no controversy as to his
merits. Why should we? Neither Puri-
tan or Cavalier long survived as SUCH
The virtues and traditions of both happi-
ly still live for the inspiration Of their
sons and the saving of the old fashion.
But both Puritan and Cavalier were lost
| in the storm of their first revolution, and
the American citizen. supplanting both
and stronger than either. took possession
of the Republic, bought by their common
| blood and fashioned in wisdom, and
charged himself with teaching men free
government and establishing the voice of
the people as the voice of God. Great
| types like valuable plants are slow to
flower and fruit But from the union of
| these colonies, from the Strengthening of
their purposes and the crossing of their
blood, slow perfecting through century,
| came he who stands as the first typical
American, the first who comprehended
within himself all the strength and gen.
tleness, all the majesty and grace ct this
Republic-Abraham Lincoln. He was the
sum of Puritan and Cavalier, for in his
ardent nature were fused the virtues of
both, and in the depths Of his great soul
the faults of both were lost He was
greater than Puritan, greater than Cava-
| in his honely form were first gathered the
vast and thrilling forces of this ideal gov
ernment-charging it with such tremen-
dous meaning and SO elevating it above
human suffering that martyrdom, though
UNANIMOUSLY aimed, came as citing
crown to a life consecrated from its era
die to human liberty. Let us, each cher
ishing his traditions and honoring his
| fathers, build with reverent hands to the
type of this simple, but sublime life, in
which all types are honored, and in the
common glory we shall win as Americans
there will be plenty and TO spare for your
| forefathers and for mine.
WHAT THE NEW SOUTH MEANS.
speaking to the toast with which you
have honored me accept the term, Tile
New South, " as in no sense disparagng to
| the Old. Dear to me, sir, is the home Of
my childhood and the traditions of my
people. There is New South, not through
protest against the old, but because of
new conditions, new adjustments. and. if
you please, new ideas and aspirations. 1t
/ is to this | address myself. ask you,
gentlemen. to picture if you can, the foot
sore soldier, who, buttoning up in his